Teaching Conditionals to Second Language Learners

Part A:
Introduction
Conditionals are sentences describing implications or hypothetical situations and their results. Two clauses make up a conditional: the condition clause and the consequent clause, which are dependent on each other (Narayanan, Liu & Choudhary, 2009). Basically conditionals can be divided into four canonical tense patterns based on tense (Narayanan, Liu & Choudhary, 2009), including zero conditionals, first conditionals, second conditionals and third conditionals. Zero conditionals are used in describing facts or rules. First conditionals are used to express a hypothetical situation, the truth of which is unverified. Second conditionals are used to express probable situations, for stating preferences and imaginary events. Third conditionals are usually used to indicate contrary-to-fact (impossible) past events. The complexity of English conditionals is resulted from the variety of forms and the back-shifting of tense in second and third conditionals.
According to English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 to 6), students are firstly taught the zero and first conditionals as a basis. After students progress to a higher level, they are taught the second and third conditionals (CDC2004).
In this paper, a critique is carried out on Miss. Wong’s teaching methods from the perceptive of pros and cons of teaching effectiveness, and then pedagogical implications are drawn from this part. To explore a more effective approach in teaching conditionals, a design of a grammar task will be the core part with a discussion on it.
Critique of the teaching case
Miss. Wong teaches conditionals in the traditional Presentation-Practice-Production pattern (PPP pattern).She explains the four types of conditionals and then gives stu...

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...and assumptions, in this process, their speaking and writing skills can make great process for real communicative needs.
Conclusion
To conclude, teaching conditionals is still the area needed to be explored as the complexity of its forms and functions served in different situations. It is challenging for teachers to find an effective and proper approach for teaching. Teachers really need to set up appropriate contexts for students, as it is very important for input and output. Thinking about the real teaching situation, teachers should make a balance between the inductive and deductive approaches. Last but not least, teachers should make the good combination between the form, meaning and use in three-dimensional framework (Larsen-Freeman, 1991) and help students achieve a full understanding of the relationship among these three permanents. (2051 words in total.)